Inspiration from Iceland Bike Farm

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Lifestyle Design

Amidst all of the wonders that Iceland offered, one experience stood out, inspiring a vision for a particular way of life.

On our fifth day, we checked in at the Iceland Bike Farm.

It was a charming hostel-style stay with cabins, shared amenities, a common area, and miles of mountain bike trails.

Though we arrived too late to fully appreciate the property, we were treated to the trip's best Northern Lights show.

It was magical, but that’s not the experience I’m talking about.

I was exhausted from our travel schedule, so when the showing died down a bit, I went to bed. And I SLEPT.

When I woke up, I walked out of our cabin to a beautiful sunlit canyon and turned the corner to take in the rest of the property.

Directly behind our cabin, two sheep were introducing themselves to some of the guests. A couple of border collies roamed around performing their duties, checking on the chickens, herding the sheep, and of course, requesting pets from anyone willing to provide them.

I didn’t have much time before checkout, so I took it all in as I packed up and got ready to leave.

As we were pulling away, I saw one of the host family’s kids driving a remote-controlled car around an open field as one of the dogs frantically chased it.

I realized that this experience, this life that the host family had built, was a lifestyle goal of mine.

I’ve always loved animals, I’ve grown increasingly attracted to nature, and I’m getting to that point in life where I’m thinking about starting a family of my own.

What greater gift could I give to myself and my family than surrounding us all with an environment filled with beautiful nature, animals that provide for us, and open-minded, worldly travelers?

It seems to be the way things were meant to be — and it combines a variety of passion areas of mine.

It was a powerful reminder that we can have it all. We can build a life around the things that bring us joy and meaning. It may not be easy, but I believe it’s a fulfilling way to live.

Now comes the work of bringing it to life.

What I’m Thinking

Relationships have been top of mind for me recently.

I’ve been thinking about how to invest more into my core relationships, while also looking for opportunities to expand my inner circle where it makes sense.

I’ll give an example of each — starting with my core relationships.

I’ve had some really awesome and vulnerable conversations with my little sister recently. We’re committing to staying in touch more. It means so much to me that we can continue to grow our relationship when we’re physically further apart than ever.

Secondly, expanding my inner circle.

One piece of my writing journey that I enjoy is the connections that I’m able to make. I’ve learned that my writing can be a magnet for like-minded people

I set a goal this year of reaching out to one new person each week.

I’ve fallen off that goal, I’ve made connections here and there. The spirit of the goal is alive, but I haven’t followed through in the way I intended.

I’d like to change that by recommitting to my goal.

What I’m Watching

My good friend and Curious G reader, Michael, shared this video with me recently. Not only is the message on point, but the production quality is phenomenal — reminds me of Casey Neistat. It is more than worth 7.5 minutes of your time.

Recommendation Zone:

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